A GOOD Samaritan was killed as he crossed a busy dual carriageway to help at the scene of a road accident, an inquest heard."Courageous" Derek Wright stopped his car along the A12 near East Bergholt on July 1 after spotting a car on its roof on the opposite side of the road.

By Danielle Nuttall

A GOOD Samaritan was killed as he crossed a busy dual carriageway to help at the scene of a road accident, an inquest heard.

"Courageous" Derek Wright stopped his car along the A12 near East Bergholt on July 1 after spotting a car on its roof on the opposite side of the road.

But the 52-year-old, of Oak Eggar Chase, Ipswich, was struck by a BMW saloon car and died of multiple injuries.

An inquest at County Hall in Ipswich yesterday heard that a Vauxhall Vectra travelling southbound on the A12 at East Bergholt had been involved in an accident and was on its roof at the roadside.

Two occupants of the car were in a critical condition and were being treated at the side of the road while two further passengers were trapped in the car.

The inquest heard how Mr Wright, who had been married to wife Pauline for 21 years, stopped his car on the northbound carriageway so that he could cross the road to help. He was then struck by a car and sustained fatal injuries.

The inquest heard in a written statement that John Lambert was driving along the A12 heading towards East Bergholt when he was suddenly confronted by a man standing in the road.

Mr Lambert did not recall seeing any reflective clothing and despite breaking as hard as he could and swerving to the off-side, he could not avoid the collision, it was revealed.

Meanwhile, Mrs Wright had gone looking for her husband because he was late returning home and she had spotted police cars along the A12.

She was advised to go to hospital and was told once there that her husband had been killed.

A post mortem examination revealed Mr Wright died of severe injuries to bone and soft tissue.

In recording a verdict of accidental death, Greater Suffolk Coroner Dr Peter Dean described Mr Wright as a "Good Samaritan".

"He stopped his vehicle in a safe place and put his own life at hazard trying to assist people. Clearly his actions were very courageous. It makes the outcome more tragic," he added.